FILE - In this Jan. 9, 2011 file photo, Baltimore Ravens' T.J. Houshmandzadeh (84) runs for yardage against the Kansas City Chiefs during an NFL AFC wild card football playoff game in Kansas City, Mo. The Oakland Raiders have signed Houshmandzadeh to a contract, the team announced Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, after watching the wide receiver work out. The deal reunites Houshmandzadeh with Raiders quarterback Chris Palmer, who was his teammate in Cincinnati for six seasons. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga, File)
Ran on: 11-02-2011
T.J. Houshmandzadeh signed with the Raiders on Tuesday.
Ran on: 11-02-2011
T.J. Houshmandzadeh signed with the Raiders on Tuesday.

Who would have thought at the beginning of the season that in Week 9 we'd be saying the Raiders need another reliable receiver besides Darrius Heyward-Bey?

The third-year player has silenced those who called him a bust, and has 22 catches for 385 yards the past four games, but the other Oakland receivers haven't exactly been making their presence felt. Jacoby Ford, Denarius Moore, Derek Hagan, Chaz Schilens and Louis Murphy have a combined 20 catches for 189 yards in that same span.

Moore, the impressive rookie who had 180 yards on nine catches in Weeks 2 and 3, has only 32 yards since. That's on five catches on a whopping 20 passes targeted for him.

That's one of the reasons the Raiders signed free-agent T.J. Houshmandzadeh besides the obvious - his history with quarterback Carson Palmer and head coach Hue Jackson. Houshmandzadeh, 34, played five seasons in Cincinnati with Palmer, whom Oakland acquired just two weeks ago, and three seasons under Jackson, when he was the Bengals' receivers coach.

"He's a guy that made a lot of catches when it was sticky," Jackson said Monday before Houshmandzadeh signed. "With people draped all over him, he made some uncommon plays for us in Cincinnati."

Houshmandzadeh will wear No. 84 and probably will play Sunday - at least on third downs in the slot - against the Broncos. He will make the veteran minimum salary prorated over the remainder of the season - so roughly $500,000 for the final nine games. That's a far cry from the $40 million for which Houshmandzadeh signed with the Seahawks two years ago (he was let go after a season).

The Raiders did not announce the corresponding move to clear space on the roster for Houshmandzadeh. They had Houshmandzadeh in Alameda for a workout Tuesday, something Jackson said he has wanted to do since training camp.

The receiver was working out in Southern California at the time with Palmer, who was holding out for a trade from the Bengals and went so far as saying he was retired. Houshmandzadeh - who recently told reporters that Palmer's arm strength is back after elbow problems - enjoyed his best season with Palmer in 2007, when he caught a career-high 112 passes for 1,143 yards and 12 touchdowns.

The fact that the team traded for Palmer two weeks ago and then brought in Houshmandzadeh on Tuesday is just a "coincidence," Jackson said.

A good rapport

New Raiders receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh's five best years in terms of receiving yards per game and touchdowns were the years he played with slightly less-new Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer in Cincinnati. Houshmandzadeh's career stats, with seasons he played with Palmer highlighted: